High as the Heavens - a setting of Psalm 103 for SSA (unaccompanied) by Joanna Forbes L'Estrange

by n d do ne ry on io e k ,L iss ic ol m V m len for cho S co He nd lla Ho

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High as the Heavens Joanna Forbes L’Estrange a gospel-style setting of Psalm 103

SSA div (unaccomp.) andagio

High as the heavens I’ve always wanted to set these words from Psalm 103 because they remind me of Irving Berlin’s lyrics for his love song ‘How deep is the ocean’: How much do I love you / I’ll tell you no lie / How deep is the ocean / How high is the sky? In the Psalm, the love being described is God’s and this time it’s the height of the heavens above the earth rather than the depth of the sea which is chosen to represent the true extent of that love. The Psalms are full of great imagery such as this, making them ideal for musical settings.

I’ve chosen to set the words in a three-part gospel style for unaccompanied upper voices. The piece should be sung with plenty of expression and with a rock-solid pulse; I’ve suggested optional percussion because this will help your singers to maintain the groove throughout. Above all, the words should be clear and as speechlike as possible and the “h” on each iteration of “high” should be generously aspirated!

‘High as the heavens’ is a joyful and uplifting piece so sing it with a smile and you can’t go wrong.

Joanna Forbes L’ Estrange

Commissioned by Helen Vickery for Francis Holland School, Sloane Square, London.

The first performance was given on April 1st 2019 at Cadogan Hall, London, by pupils of Francis Holland School.

Copyright © 2018

andagio

Scoring: SSA + optional percussion (eg shaker, cajon)

visit www.joannaforbeslestrange.com/composing

High as the heavens Words from Psalm 103

Joanna Forbes L'Estrange

Unhurried but with groove q = 90 INTRO SOPRANO 1

mf ° #### 4 Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ & 4 J High, mf

ALTO

high,

#### 4 j & 4 Œ œ- œ ‰ Œ

SOPRANO 2

#### 4 mf 4˙ ¢& -

high,

° #### Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ & J

¢

mf

High, 9

Œ œ -

High,

˙-

high,

high,

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high,

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high,

ha

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

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high,

high,

high, mf

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For as

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high,

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ha

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j œ ‰ Œ

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high,

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ha

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

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high,

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mf

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High,

High,

5

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

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ha

high,

For as

j œ œ œ œ > high,

For as

CHORUS 1

° #### ‰ fj j & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ ˙ œ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f

So great is his love for those who fear

him;

## & # # ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth,

So great is his love for those who fear

him;

#### f‰ ‰ j j ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ 13

High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth,

So great is his love for those who fear

him;

œ œ And as

œ œ And as

œ œ And as

° #### ‰ j Œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ ˙ œ far as the east is from the west, So far has He re - moved our trans - gres - sions. ## Œ & # # ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ ˙ œ™ œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ far as the east is from the west, So far has He re - moved our trans - gres - sions. #### ‰ ‰ j Œ j ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ ˙ far as the east

is

from the

west,

© 2018

So

far has He re - moved

andagio

our trans - gres - sions.

4 17

VERSE 1

° #### mp Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ & J

j Œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ™ œ œ œ œ™

As a fa - ther has com - pas - sion on his chil - dren,

#### p & w

So the Lord has

ooh

¢

## &##

com - pas - sion on us;

p

w

‰ j œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ™

˙™

nw

ooh 21

For He knows

just

#### & w

j ‰ j œ œ œ œ œ œj œ™ œ œ œ -œ œ œ œ

what we're made of

And He re - mem - bers that

that

w

˙™

nw

ooh 25

we

are dust. For as

‰ j œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

˙™

w

ooh

¢

‰

com - pas - sion on us;

° #### Œ œ œ œ œj œ œj Œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ & J

#### &

com - pas - sion on us;

‰ j œ™ œ œ œ j ‰ œ œ œ

˙™

w

‰

we

are dust. For as

‰ j œ™ œ

j œ œ- œ œ

that

we

are dust. For as

CHORUS 2

° #### ‰ f j & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ ˙ œ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f

So great is his love for those who fear

him;

## & # # ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f

So great is his love for those who fear

him;

#### ‰ ‰ j & j ¢ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth,

So great is his love for those who fear

him;

œ œ And as

œ œ And as

œ œ And as

29

° #### ‰ j & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ ˙ œ far as the east

is

#### ‰ j & œ œ œœœ œ œ far as the east

is

from the

west,

So

far has He re - moved

‰ j œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œnœ œ from the

west,

So

far has He re - moved

#### ‰ ‰ j j ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ far as the east

is

from the

west,

© 2018

So

andagio

far has He re - moved

Œ

our trans - gres - sions.

œ œ œ œ ˙

Œ

our trans - gres - sions.

œ œ œ œ ˙

our trans - gres - sions.

Œ

33

5

VERSE 2

° #### p & w

‰ j œ œœœ j‰ œ œ œ œ

˙™

w

hoo

the flo - wer of

#### ‰ mpj œ œ œ œ™ & œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ Œ œ J The life of mor - tals

¢

## &##

is

like the grass,

the

field.

‰ j œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ

‰

‰ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™

‰

They flou - rish like

the flo - wer of

the field.

p

w

˙™

nw

hoo

the flo - wer of

the field.

37

° #### & œ™

-œ œ glis s. œ J

hoo

hoo

## & # # ‰ œj œ #### & ¢ œ™

re - mem - bers it

œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œœœ œ Œ œ J

The wind blows ov - er it

and

j œ- œglis s. œ

hoo 41

‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

˙™

w

it is gone;

Œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ And its place

hoo

re - mem - bers it

no more. For as

‰ j œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ

˙™

nw

no more. For as

re - mem - bers it

no more. For as

CHORUS 3

° #### ‰ fœ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ J High as the hea - vens are a -

bove the earth,

So great is his love for those who fear

him;

œ œ And as

f

# ## j j & # ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ˙ œ High as the hea - vens are a f

bove the earth,

So great is his love for those who fear

#### ‰ j ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ High as the hea - vens are a -

bove the earth,

45

° #### ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & J far

as the east

is

#### ‰ j & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ far

as the east

#### ‰ j & ¢ œ œ œ œ œ far

as the east

is

œ is

So great is his love for those who fear

œ™ œ œ œ œ from

the

west,

œ™ œ œ œ œ from

the

west,

œ™ œ œ œ œ from

the

west,

© 2018

andagio

‰ œ J

So

him;

˙ him;

œ œ And as

œ œ And as

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ â ä far has He re - moved

our trans -

â ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ ä So

‰

far has He re - moved

j œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ So

far has He re - moved

our trans -

â œ œ ä our trans -

6

CHORUS 4 HAND-CLAPS (all)

48

/ #### &

Œ

∑

## &##

Œ

œ œ ˙

-œ

Œ

High, mf

œ

Œ

œ ˙

Œ

œ-

œ

˙

œœ

gres

- sion(s)

High,

œ

Œ

œ˙

#### & ¢ œ

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

j œ‰ Œ

Œ œ -

j œ‰ Œ

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

Œ

˙

Œ

‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙-

˙High, f

high,

high,

‰ ™ œr œ œ œ œ ™ n œ œ ™ nœ œ œ -

high,

high,

high,

high,

‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ

So great is his love for those who

‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ

‰ j œ œ œ œnœ œ œ œ œ

‰ j œ œœœœœ œœ œ œœœ

‰ j œ œ œœœœœ œ œ

So great is his love for those who

So great is his love for those who

¿

Œ

¿

Œ

¿

> #### œ œ œ . & œ- ™ œ œ œ œ

Œ

-œ

œ ‰ J

Œ

Œ

œ™ œ œ ‰ J

## & # # œ ™ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ >

Œ

¿

° #### &

## &##

high,

high,

ha

high,

Ϫ -

j œ œ œ #œ œ >

high,

œ

fear

# ## (2) & #

¿

Œ

¿

mf

ha mf

## &##

¿

high,

High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth,

Œ

Œ

Œ

/

¢

œ‰ Œ J

High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f

gres - sions.

(1)

Œ -œ

High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f

gres - sions.

52

œ‰ Œ J

high,

Π
¿

‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Œ

gres - sions.

## &##

Œ

high,

mf

° #### œ ˙ & œ (2)

Π
High,

gres - sions.

## &##

¿

mf

gres - sions.

(1)

Œ

¿

high,

œ ˙ him;

œ œ ˙ fear

him;

œ œ ˙ fear

him;

High,

high,

high,

œ œ

And as

Œ

High,

r œ œ œ high,

‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ far as the east

is

‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ far as the east

‰

is

j œ œ œœœ œ œ œ far as the east © 2018

j œ ‰

œ-

Œ

high,

‰™

˙-

And as

œ œ

Œ

High,

And as

œ œ

high,

j œ ‰

œ-

Œ

andagio

is

‰™

˙high,

high,

œ™ œ œ œ œ from the

So

‰

west,

œ™ œ œ œ œ from the

‰ œj

west,

œ™ œ œ œ œ from the

r œ œ œ

west,

j œ So

‰

j œ So

7 STOP CLAPS

55

Œ

/

Œ

¿

#### Π&

‰

ha

high,

# ## (1) & # Œ

Ϫ

‰

nœ œ ™

Œ

œ- ™

nœ œ

high,

œ

high,

° #### & œ

œ

œ

œ œ œ

far

has

He

re - moved

our

## &## œ

œ

œ

œ nœ œ

œ

œ

far

has

He

re - moved

our

trans

(2)

¢

#### &

œ

far 57

œ

has

He

œ nœ

re - moved

High, mf

œ œ.

trans

œ

œ

our

trans

œ >

‰

œ J

œ

‰

j œ

œ

‰

Œ -œ œ ‰ J

Ϫ high,

high,

œ

- gres

œ

-

œ

- gres

œ

˙ ˙ -

œ

- gres

˙ -

Œ

c

Œ

c

Œ

c

sions.

mf

˙-

high,

‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙-

High,

high,

high,

high,

high,

High,

#### Œ j & œ- œ ‰ Œ ˙High,

high,

Œ œ™ œ œ ‰ Œ J j œ ‰ Œ

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

high,

œ- ™ œ œ. œ œ Œ > high,

high,

j œ œ œ œ > high,

high,

Œ œ -

‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙high,

r œ œ œ ˙ high,

© 2018

high,

andagio

‰™

high.

U œ œ- ™ œ œ. > ˙

f

ha

high,

‰™

>œ U ˙ . œ œ- ™ œ

f

ha

high,

high,

high,

mf

r œ œ œ œ™ -

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

High,

#### &

high,

poco rit.

61

° #### Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ & J

‰™

r œ œ œ ˙ -

œ- ™ œ œ. œ œ Œ >

ha

high,

‰™

mf

ha

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

Œ

L

sions.

Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ

Œ

L

sions.

high,

Œ œ œj ‰ -

High,

#### &

L

high,

j œ >

œ

high,

# ## j (All) & # Œ œ œ ‰ Œ -

¢

œ

OUTRO

mf ° #### Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ & J

¢

œ

œ œ œ

œ

œ J

high,

ha mf

Ϫ

œ-

> œ

¿

mf

j œ œ

high,

#### &

œ œ.

œ- ™

Œ

Œ

¿

mf

j œ œ

Ϫ

Œ

¿

high.

U r œ œ œ œ™ œ œ. >œ ˙ f

high,

ha

high.

Joanna Forbes L’Estrange (b.1971) is a British singer, songwriter and choral composer who receives engagements throughout the world. A Master of Arts music graduate of Oxford University, she began her career as soprano and Musical Director of the five-time Grammy® Award-winning a cappella group the Swingle Singers, during which time she started composing and arranging music.

She is founder and artistic director of the all-female vocal group AQUILA and appeared as a judge on the Sky 1 television series Sing: Ultimate A Cappella. In 2018, she made history with her charity single Twenty-first-century Woman, the first all-female recording session ever to have taken place at Abbey Road Studios.

For more information visit joannaforbeslestrange.com Facebook Joanna Forbes L’Estrange; Twitter @JoForbesLE; Instagram @joforbeslestrange

L’Estrange Music … for you and your choir For perusal scores, audio demos, learning resources, videos and to order sheet music go to lestrangemusic.com To book us to run a rehearsal on our music with your choir or to commission us to write a new piece/arrangement for your choir and for any other enquiries email us info@lestrangemusic.com To be the first to hear about new music from L’Estrange Music Like us on Facebook L’Estrange Music Follow us on Twitter @ForbesLEstrange Follow us on Instagram @lestrangesinthenight See back page for more pieces for Upper Voice Choirs

L’Estrange Music More pieces for Upper Voice Choirs

by Alexander L’Estrange & Joanna Forbes L’Estrange

Amazing Grace An Irish Blessing A Woman (Wearing Bloomers) on a Wheel Three Eva Cassidy songs Friends Apart and True Give Us Grace High as the Heavens Hodie!

Let Nothing Disturb Thee Love’s Philosophy New College Service On Eagles’ Wings Panis Angelicus St Swithun’s Preces & Responses Suffragette March The Chorister’s Prayer There Will Always Be Music The Three Wise Women The Twyford Carols This is our World Twenty-first-century Woman We Will Remember Them Winter Songs

SSAA (unaccomp.)

SSA + piano & opt. flute SSA + piano SA + piano SSAA + piano SSAA (optional piano) SSAA (unaccomp.)

SA + organ SA + organ SA + piano 2-part trebles + organ 2-part trebles + organ SSA + organ SSA + optional organ SA + piano 2-part trebles + organ SSA + piano SSA + piano SA + piano & opt. percussion SSAA + piano SSA + piano SSA + piano & opt. trumpet Unison/2-part + piano

www.lestrangemusic.com

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